What to do and see in Swadlincote, England: The Best Things to do

One of the finest collections of unusual trees and shrubs in Derbyshire, planting in our beautiful woodland garden was started in 1992 and the gardens now cover an area of nine acres. We are now an RHS partner garden and although most of the large trees are still young with the majority at under 22 years of age, many of the shrubs and smaller trees already show their full beauty of form and habit and the arboretum has become a beautiful woodland walk with rare plant treasures on display to entice the real enthusiast! There are many educational signs on display giving detailed information about the unusual plants in the gardens. Most of the plants in the gardens are available for sale from the adjoining nursery as young specimens and expert staff are on hand to give information and advice.

Sharpe's Pottery Museum is home to the local heritage of Swadlincote and surrounding areas, the iconic building is home to the Museum Collections & Exhibitions, Swadlincote Tourist Information Centre, Cafe Espresso & The Magic Attic Archives. We have a function room for hire that is suitable for meetings or family celebrations; there is also a cafe that opens out on to a children's playzone on the ground floor along with the Tourist Information and Gift Shop. The upper floor is home to a large exhibition area, a walk way that showcases the 'old kiln' and the extensive historic archives compiled by The Magic Attic. There is Disabled Access to all areas with a lift to enable access to the upper floor, toilet facilities for diabled visitors can be found on both levels. We have adjacent Free Parking and Brown Signed Car Parking within a few hundred yards, ALL parking in Swadlincote is Free of Charge. We are open Monday to Saturday 10am - 4.30pm with last entry to view the Museum at 4pm, Spring & Summer Bank Holiday Monday Opening Times are 10am - 3pm.

The National Forest is one of England’s most ambitious environmental projects. Across parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire, 200 square miles are being transformed, blending ancient woodland with new planting to create a new national Forest. There is a wealth of choice for great days out or short breaks with bustling attractions, gentle walking and brilliant activities. In less than twenty years, one of the least wooded parts of the country has been transformed. Around 8 million trees have been planted, trebling the woodland cover and creating habitats for wildlife and a beautiful landscape for people to enjoy. The ultimate goal is for woodland to cover around a third of the Forest area and to link the ancient forests of Charnwood and Needwood.The gentle undulating landscape is perfect for walking, cycling and horse-riding. And through the creation of new habitats, The National Forest is an ideal location for bird and wildlife watching.From watersports to wildlife watching, cycling to craft centres and loads of wet weather options too, The National Forest really does have something for everyone. And in this ever-changing landscape as the Forest grows, one thing is guaranteed, there is always something new to see.

Set in open parkland, alongside a stretch of the Ashby Canal and wrapped up in the heart of the National Forest, Moira Furnace is the most well preserved blast furnace in the country, dating back to 1806. Now rescued from demolition and restored, it serves as an outstanding landmark with a surprisingly interesting museum nestled inside. The canal barge, the Joseph Wilkes, glides visitors up and down the restored stretch of the Ashby Canal whilst the park and woodland provide ample space for legs of all lengths to stretch themselves out and enjoy the feeling of being close to nature.